Looking Forward
by gemsofformenos
Summary: The Rangers Zuko and Katara try to find Gandalf and the dwarfs after they have missed him in Bree. He had send them on a scouting mission and now they have urgent news for the wizard. Placed in the time frame, where Bilbo and the dwarfs have noticed, that Gandalf was missing, before they had the dreadful meeting with the trolls.


**Hello everybody. This one was written at the request of t-rex989, because I found out too late, that he didn't knew the Skulduggery franchise, so I offered to make another one for him and he had asked me to try a crossover with Tolkien's Hobbit and this is the result.  
This one was fun in the end, still it was tricky and I am an will be nervous about this one, because Tolkien is my absolute favorite author when it comes to Fantasy and for obvious reasons I'm far away from his level of language and his writing. I know, that this is okay, but I always feel, that I cannot come close enough to his great work all around Middle Earth, that's why I never have tried to work with it before. I know this may sound strange, but I'm getting picky with myself when it comes to Tolkien and Middle Earth, so I have left it out so far, but I really wanted to give t-rex989 a story, where he knows both franchises, after we had a misunderstanding at the first one, so I accepted to give it a try. I was glad to hear, that he liked it and so I hope other persons like it too. Thanks again to t-rex989 for the request and I wish all of you a lot of fun with this One-Shot**

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**Looking Forward**

The rain was falling heavy. The cold water had soaked the nature, the ground and also every layer of Zuko's cloak and clothes, but Katara kept pushing the pace and he didn't blame her for that. They were late and now they had to chase the track of Gandalf as good as possible. They had missed him in Bree almost seven days ago and they knew, that this fact would concern him.

A cold shiver ran down Zuko's spine and he tried his best to kept focus on marching through the forest and keeping an eye out on dangers, but his mind wandered back to the Mirkwood. Katara and he had checked the area around the dark fortress Dol Guldur closer some months ago. Gandalf had asked the two ranger to do him a favor and to check the old road through the forest and to spy out the area around this cursed place. Both had barely escaped with life and Zuko was sure, that they only had survived, because they had each other. Only Zuko's instincts and Katara's iron will had helped them to escape the trap.

Zuko was deep in his thoughts, so he misses the root, which was forming a sling on the ground, but his foot found it and so he toppled. He tried to get a grip at some branches, but they were too slippery and so he fell down, landing flat on his belly deep in the wet mud, with a curse on his lips.

It didn't help his pride to hear the impish snicker from Katara. The female ranger reached out a hand to help him up, but she was biting her lip to suppress a loud laughter as she faced the mad muddy face of Zuko.

"Does the great tracker needs a helping hand?"

Zuko muttered another curse, but took the hand. Katara chuckled amused and helped cleaning his face a bit, after he was back on his feet again.

"I don't know why you love such a weather, Katara. I'm soaked to the skin and it makes our job only harder."

His sulky voice only elicited a loud laughter from the female ranger.

"Or it makes it easier. It also erases our tracks."

She gave him a warm smile, which made his lips curving up finally, before she turned her head towards the road, which wasn't to be seen, because it was hidden behind the tree line.

"And due to the tracks they're still on the road and we seem to be close."

Zuko rolled his eyes, which caused Katara to chuckle again. She took his hand and tugged him towards the road.

"Come on, let us check how close we are now."

Zuko nodded at her and both started to get nearer to the road, when a dark figure approached behind some trees. Instantly, Katara had her dagger in her hand, ready to throw it at the figure, but Zuko stopped her by grabbing her wrist. He ignored her angry glare and moved his head towards the dark figure. The person was leaning himself on a rod and was wearing a pointy head and a long robe, everything in deep gray.

"You've been late my friends."

Gandalf came closer as Katara lowered her arm and both rangers bowed a bit before him, but the old wizard placed one hand one each rangers shoulder and smiled relieved at both.

"Luckily I'm just in time."

Zuko placed his hand on the old man's wrist and squeezed it thankfully.

"It's good that we've found you, Gandalf."

The wizard nodded and released the supportive grip, scanning the faces of his friends.

"You have bad news for me."

Katara's face got worried and she shared a faint look with Zuko, before she started to speak.

"The influence of the necromancer is growing, Gandalf. It's far worse, than Saruman has said."

The old man frowned deep at this quote. He noticed the shadow, which was rushing over the woman's face. The blue eyes of her were gloomy.

"The I fear old road isn't a safe route anymore. A poisoning darkness is spreading out more and more. Even Thranduil has to struggle to keep his borders safe, but that's not the worst. We..."

Katara's voice broke and she started to shake. It let Gandalf's worries grew and he shared a look with Zuko, who took the other ranger in his arms. He also struggled to find his voice, but finally he managed to continue his report.

"It's the kind of darkness and horror, which now lives in these woods, Gandalf. I can't place a finger on it, but..."

He struggled to speak on, but the old wizard placed his hand back on his shoulder and it was like a dark cloud got lifted from his mind. The world around him seemed a bit brighter and the gray and the rain wasn't pressing down his mood anymore.

"We have been attacked on night as we tried to get nearer to Dol Guldur, not by men, orks or beasts, no it was a dark presence."

A dangerous glow came to Gandalf's eyes. He noticed the deep horror in Zuko's and Katara's eyes. The ranger continued his story.

"It was like a whispered threat in our ears. It planted visions in our mind, visions of death and destruction. It gnawed at our minds and drove us nearly into madness. We felt exposed and observed, like a deer, who feels the presence of the hunter."

Katara started to cry a bit, but she continued with a teary voice.

"We panicked, tried to flee, to run away from this presence, but it tricked us, drove us deeper into the woods, nearer to our death."

Zuko pressed her at his chest and Gandalf wiped away a tear from her cheek. A warm feeling of comfort helped to swallow the teary lump, which tried to tighten her throat. She gave him a thankful smile and he returned it with a warm look.

"It made us believe we were enemies and in our panic we started to fight against each other."

Zuko placed a soothing kiss on Katara's forehead and continued.

"Katara noticed the illusion at a point and managed to pull me out too. It was like we heard a soul-splitting scream and then we got attacked by spiders. We barely left with life."

Katara shuddered in fear and disgust, but she faced Gandalf's worried look.

"This presence, it was horrifying. None of us has ever felt so lost, so alone, so naked, so hopeless and frightened before, it was like a merciless burning look was cutting through our bones and flesh to look deep down in our souls to search for the greatest terror it could find."

Zuko nodded at Katara's quote. Gandalf face had darkened again and he started to stroke his beard. Moments passed and the old man seemed to be deep in his thoughts, but suddenly he snapped out of it, giving the rangers a thankful smile.

"Thank you, my friends. You have helped an old man to look a bit forward on the road he has to travel. Both of you have earned some rest. Rivendell is not far and I'm sure you'll have a save travel from here on."

Gandalf nodded at the rangers and was about to go, when Katara's words made him stop a last time.

"We have found troll track beside the road near the last bridge. I think you might need this information."

The wizard smiled at the female ranger and nodded thankful.

"Thank you, Katara. Sometimes it's good to be reminded to look back at the right time."


End file.
